


I Heard the Bells on Christmas Morning

by elleavantemm



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Gen, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-13
Updated: 2012-01-13
Packaged: 2017-10-29 10:46:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/319058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elleavantemm/pseuds/elleavantemm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a dark alley in the early hours of the morning on Christmas day, Odin Lowe is giving instructions to a child.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Heard the Bells on Christmas Morning

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written for the prompt " _In the middle of a mission, Odin suddenly realizes it’s Christmas Day and he’s handing a detonator to the small child beside him while bells are ringing in the distance_ " for the winter round of the livejournal Advent Challenge.

The only sound in the quiet alley was their bated breath, thick clouds of mist curling between them as they crouched behind a dumpster. “Do you remember the plan? A nod of assurance, messy locks of dark brown hair falling across wide blue eyes. “Tell me.”

“Enter through the south entrance: there will be two guards, armed, but not heavily. Take them out with a single bullet to the back of the head. Take the north hallway fifty metres and then go west thirty metres. Enter the second door on the right. Disable all security cameras and alarm systems. Exit the room and head east one hundred metres and take the elevator to the fifth floor. Attach explosives to main support beam. Set time for three minutes and thirty seconds. Exit building the same way entered.”

“Excellent.” The quiet morning air was slowly beginning to fill with signs of life, the peal of bells noticeably louder than other sound; there must be a church nearby. “Remember, Heero. You mustn’t be seen. Time your movements precisely.”

“Understood.”

“Do you remember the location that we agreed to meet?”

“Yes. Under the awning of Mister Waters’ barber shop.”

Odin Lowe removed several blocks of plastic explosives, helping the young boy to pack them carefully into the bag that lay on the ground between them. As he removed the detonator from his pocket, his hand paused as realization washed over him, a sick feeling sinking in his stomach. Here he was, Christmas morning, huddled in a dark alley, about to hand a detonator to a child.

“Odin?” Heero asked, hand outstretched. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Odin replied, clearing his throat. He placed the detonator in Heero’s hand, and Heero rested it carefully on top of the other items in the bag.

With a nod of his head, Heero zipped the bag shut and turned towards the alley entrance. Looking quickly both ways, he slipped around the corner and out of sight. Odin leaned back heavily against the dumpster behind him and for a brief moment questioned the choices that he made in his life: Absolute destruction on Christmas morning – destruction that would likely take lives in the surrounding vicinity. Sometimes it was so easy to live in outer space and forget where the dates fell on the calendar.

Checking his watch, Odin stood, adjusting his jacket and making his way out into the early morning bustle of the street. Timing his own movements precisely, he began the journey to Mister Waters’ barber shop. _Merry Christmas_ he thought to himself bitterly many minutes later when an explosion let loose a voluminous cloud of smoke and a shower of rubble, followed immediately by the screams of both terror and pain. Somewhere down the street a radio was playing “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Morning”. _Merry Christmas, indeed._


End file.
